On May 24, 1962,
University of Colorado Boulder alumnus
Scott Carpenter lifted off from Earth in
NASA's Aurora 7 space capsule mounted
atop a Mercury-Atlas rocket at Cape
Canaveral, Fla., swiftly climbing to
roughly 165 miles in altitude.

The NASA
astronaut and his capsule were swept
into Earth's orbit, eventually speeding
around the planet at 17,000 miles per
hour - a velocity roughly equal to
flying from New York to Nepal and back
in under 60 minutes. Carpenter, who
attended CU-Boulder from 1945 through
1949 in the aeronautical engineering
department, made three orbits of Earth
in roughly five hours before splashing
down in the Atlantic.

Carpenter was
the fourth American astronaut to fly in
space, following Alan Shepard, Gus
Grissom and John Glenn, and the second
to achieve orbit around Earth behind
Glenn. As one of the "Original Mercury
7" astronauts, Carpenter made an
indelible mark on history with the
flight of the Aurora 7 mission. He and
his colleagues were celebrated in the
Tom Wolfe book, "The Right Stuff," which
told the story
of early military test pilots as well as
the original Mercury astronauts.

A half-century
later, Carpenter looked back at his time
in space. "That seems like a long time
ago," said Carpenter, now 87 and living
in Vail. "I still remember what a thrill
it was being up there - I liked the
feeling of weightlessness, and the view
I had of the Earth."

Carpenter will
participate in two days of events May 23
and May 24 in New York City in honor of
the 50th anniversary of NASA's Aurora 7
flight. The events, sponsored by the
Astronaut Scholarship Foundation created
by the Mercury 7 astronauts "will be a
great honor for me," said Carpenter.

In February,
Glenn and Carpenter - the only two
living Mercury astronauts - attended a
ceremony at Kennedy Space Center in
Florida celebrating the 50th anniversary
of the nation's first two orbital
flights.

"Scott
Carpenter is the epitome of all of the
good things about the University of
Colorado Boulder's leading role
in probing the frontiers of space," said
CU-Boulder Chancellor Philip DiStefano.
"The 50th anniversary of his mission is
a tribute to NASA's original Mercury 7
crew and to all of the NASA astronauts,
including many associated with
CU-Boulder, who have stood on their
shoulders."

One of his most
vivid memories during the Aurora 7
mission, Carpenter said, was his
successful role as a sleuth. During
Glenn's February 1962 orbiting mission,
he reported seeing brightly lit
particles swirling about outside the
space capsule, which he dubbed
"fireflies." The mysterious particles
baffled not only Glenn, but also NASA
engineers and scientists.

Carpenter
observed the same type of fireflies
outside the space capsule during the
Aurora 7 flight. During the mission, he
accidently banged on the capsule cabin
wall, causing a swarm of the fireflies
to appear through the window. Carpenter
almost immediately identified them as
tiny ice particles dislodged from the
capsule's exterior shell, subsequently
dubbing them harmless "frostflies." "I
was particularly pleased that I was able
to demystify John Glenn's 'fireflies,' "
he said.

Born in Boulder
on May 1, 1925, Carpenter grew up in a
house at Seventh Street and Aurora
Avenue, and graduated from Boulder High
School in 1943. He then entered the
Navy's V5 flight training program
at CU-Boulder. He spent the next year
training in California
and Iowa, returning to Boulder in 1945
to study aeronautical engineering at CU
for the next four years.

Carpenter was
commissioned in the U.S. Navy in 1949
and flew a variety of missions during
the Korean War. He attended Navy Test
Pilot School in Maryland in 1954 and was
assigned as an Air Intelligence Officer
on the USS Hornet aircraft carrier. In
April of 1959 he was selected by NASA to
be an astronaut.

After serving
as backup pilot for Glenn for America's
first manned orbital space flight on
Feb. 20, 1962, Carpenter got his own
chance just three months later. At the
end of the successful mission his space
capsule landed in the Atlantic Ocean
about 135 miles northeast of Puerto
Rico. Soon after, he took congratulatory
calls from President John F. Kennedy and
Vice President Lyndon Johnson.

Although he was
one course requirement short of
graduating with a bachelor's degree in
aeronautical engineering when he left CU
in 1949, the university awarded him his
degree in 1962 following the successful
Aurora 7 flight. When presenting the
degree to Carpenter, CU President Quigg
Newton said "his subsequent training as
an astronaut has more than made up for
his deficiency in the subject of heat
transfer."

In 1965
Carpenter took a leave of absence from
NASA to participate in the Navy's
Man-in-the-Sea Project as an "aquanaut"
in the SEALAB II project off the coast
of La Jolla, Calif.,

where he spent
30 days living and working on the ocean
floor at a depth of more than 200 feet.
While undersea he spoke by phone with
astronauts Gordon Cooper and Pete Conrad
as they sailed overhead during their
eight-day Gemini 5 mission.

Because of his
groundbreaking deep-sea diving
experiences with the Navy, Carpenter is
hailed by many to be the first person to
conquer both outer and inner space.

In 1967 he
became the Navy's director of aquanaut
operations during the SEALAB III
experiment. After retiring from the Navy
in 1969, he founded and became CEO of
Sea Sciences Inc., a venture capital
corporation that developed programs
aimed at enhanced use of ocean resources
and improved health of the planet. He
worked closely with noted diver and
scientist Jacques Cousteau and members
of his Calypso team, and subsequently
dove in most of the world's oceans,
including under Arctic ice.

Buoyed by his
background in aerospace and ocean
engineering, he also developed a career
as a consultant to industry and the
private sector, has lectured around the
world, narrated television documentaries
and written several books, including the
2002 New York Times best-seller, "For
Spacious Skies: The Uncommon Journey of
a Mercury Astronaut" co-authored with
his daughter, Kris Stoever. Carpenter
continues to travel, lecture and
consult.

Carpenter's
name and fame is synonymous with several
Boulder landmarks, including Scott
Carpenter Park and Pool and the Aurora 7
Elementary School.

"I'm very proud
of my attendance at the University of
Colorado," said Carpenter, the first of
19 CU astronaut-affiliates to fly in
space. "And there was not a better home
for me than Boulder."

24.05.2012

NAVITIMER
COSMONAUTE

BREITLING
CELEBRATES THE 50TH
ANNIVERSARY OF THE FIRST SPACEGOING
WRIST CHRONOGRAPH.

On May 24th
1962, a Breitling Navitimer
chronograph became the first wrist
instrument to share in the conquest
of space by accompanying the Aurora
7 flight. To celebrate the 50th
anniversary of this historical feat,
the brand is launching into orbit a
new Navitimer Cosmonaute equipped
with a highperformance Manufacture
Breitling movement, entirely
developed and produced in the
company workshops. This 1,962-piece
limited edition is distinguished by
its 24-hour display, its
manualwinding mode – two nods to the
original 1962 chronograph – as well
as the Aurora 7 mission insignia
engraved on the caseback. Navitimer
Cosmonaute. The legend continues.

MAIDEN
SPACE FLIGHT.

The early 1960s were all about the
space race. The Americans launched
the Mercury program intended to
develop manned flights. They were
looking for a high-performance,
accurate and reliable chronograph
capable of withstanding exceptional
conditions. With this in mind, they
naturally turned to Breitling, the
“official supplier to world
aviation” and a privileged partner
of the finest hours in aeronautical
history. The Navitimer, the cult
pilot's watch created in 1952, with
its famous circular slide rule
serving to perform all operations
relating to airborne navigation,
naturally asserted itself as the
ideal instrument in taking up this
challenge. It successfully passed
all the required tests, and on May
24th
1962, Lt Commander Scott Carpenter
orbited the Earth three times aboard
the Aurora 7 capsule. On his wrist
was a Navitimer equipped with a
24-hour graduated scale serving to
distinguish day from night – an
absolute necessity in space. Mission
accomplished. This was a major new
token of recognition for Breitling,
and this space conquest pioneer soon
entered the brand's collections
under the name of Cosmonaute.

THE ENGINE
DRIVING THE ACCOMPLISHMENT.

The new Manufacture Breitling
Caliber 02 powering the Navitimer
Cosmonaute stands out by its 24-hour
display and its manual-winding
system – two distinctive features
echoing the model that accompanied
Scott Carpenter in orbiting the
Earth. It was developed by the
Breitling engineers and watchmakers
based on Caliber 01, the world's
best chronograph movement, and is
endowed with all the assets of this
exceptional “engine” – including an
original column-wheel structure,
maximum reliability, security and
functionality, unfaltering
sturdiness and exceptional precision
confirmed by a chronometer
certificate granted by the COSC
(Swiss Official Chronometer Testing
Institute). Issued in a 1,962-piece
limited edition, the 50th
anniversary Navitimer Cosmonaute
features a black dial with silver
counters. The dial motif is created
using the refined “par épargne”
process on a sterling silver base,
thereby guaranteeing the peerless
radiance and readability of the
indications. In addition to the
Aurora 7 mission insignia, the
engraved caseback also carries a
Celsius/Fahrenheit conversion scale
– another detail faithful to the
design of the vintage Navitimer
models.

With
its
outdoor
pool,
expansive
grass
field
and
trademark
rocket
ship
jungle
gym
on
its
playground,
Scott
Carpenter
Park
is a
Boulder
institution
where
generations
of
kids
have
played.

On
Thursday,
astronaut
Scott
Carpenter,
for
whom
the
park
was
named
a
half-century
ago,
returned
to
the
park
for
a
50th
anniversary
rededication
ceremony.

On
May
24,
1962,
the
Boulder
native
and
University
of
Colorado
alumnus
became
the
second
American
to
orbit
the
Earth.

City
officials,
state
and
local
dignitaries
and
an
estimated
400
spectators
gathered
at
the
park
Thursday
to
commemorate
its
rededication
and
welcome
Carpenter,
who,
at
age
87,
rarely
makes
it
back
to
his
hometown
these
days.

Among
the
speakers
who
lauded
Carpenter's
achievements
and
the
inspiration
he
has
provided
to
young
Americans
were
Boulder
Deputy
Mayor
Lisa
Morzel,
State
Rep.
Dickey
Lee
Hullinghorst
and
CU
Chancellor
Phil
DiStefano.

Morzel,
a
career
earth
scientist,
was
9
when
Carpenter
was
launched
into
space,
and
she
said
Thursday
he
inspired
and
motivated
her
to
strive
for
great
things.

"That
Aurora
flight
got
us
all
dreaming,"
she
said.

By
far
the
most
loudly
applauded
remarks
at
the
ceremony
were
those
Carpenter
delivered
himself.

"I
am
really
honored
by
this
whole
ceremony
and
your
presence,
but
what
have
you
been
waiting
for?
It's
been
50
years,"
Carpenter
said
lightheartedly.

He
thanked
Boulder
leaders
past
and
present
for
building
and
maintaining
the
park
for
the
city's
children,
and
he
summed
up
how
honored
he
felt
that
he
was
so
warmly
welcomed
Thursday
with
the
phrase,
"Aww,
shucks."

After
a
question-and-answer
session
during
which
he
discussed
the
importance
of
education,
the
value
of
focused
fear
in
the
cockpit
of a
spacecraft
and
other
topics,
Carpenter
took
part
in a
ceremonial
ribbon-cutting
and
stayed
briefly
to
chat
with
attendees.

Arvada
resident
Lila
Schow
grew
up
in
Lafayette
and
often
came
to
Boulder
to
play
in
Scott
Carpenter
Park
as a
kid.
She
said
she
brought
her
young
children,
Carter
and
Tabitha,
to
Thursday's
ceremony
because
she
"wanted
them
to
see
a
real
astronaut,
especially
one
of
the
first."

"He
was
great,"
7-year-old
Carter
said.

Also
in
attendance
Thursday
was
Susan
Dillon,
a
Boulder
High
School
classmate
and
former
sweetheart
of
Carpenter.
She
recounted
how
at
her
sweet-16
party,
Carpenter
bought
her
an
orchid
and
promised
to
buy
her
one
on
her
real
birthday,
Feb.
29,
every
year
for
the
rest
of
their
lives.
He
hasn't
missed
a
Leap
Day
yet,
Dillon
said.

"It
is
just
nice
to
have
a
friend
all
these
years,"
she
said.
"It
was
wonderful
to
see
him."

Carpenter
was
one
of
the
members
of
America's
first
astronaut
group,
known
as
the
Mercury
7.

He
was
born
in
Boulder
on
May
1,
1925,
and
lived
in
the
city
on
and
off
into
his
college
years,
mostly
in
his
grandparents'
home
on
the
corner
of
Aurora
Avenue
and
Seventh
Street.

The
home's
location
was
the
basis
for
the
name
of
the
Aurora
7
space
capsule
in
which
he
spent
the
four
hours,
56
minutes
and
five
seconds
of
his
historic
orbit.

Photos courtesy of David Shomper
Click to enlarge

Photos courtesy of Paul Bousquet
Click to Enlarge
[FYI, the first photo is with shuttle astronaut, Bruce McCandless]

This design celebrates the upcoming 50th
anniversary of Scott Carpenter’s Aurora 7 mission which was
launched on May 24, 1962. The astronauts did not have
mission patches in those days so to distinguish their
mission, they gave their spacecraft radio call signs and had
art painted on their spacecraft similar to the aircraft
“nose art” made popular during World War II.

The original Aurora 7 art was painted by
Cece Bibby. The
four stars represent that Carpenter was the fourth American
launched into space. The two stars together above represent
the fact that he flew the second orbital mission. The three
orbits of the mission are represented as well as the fact
that Aurora 7 landed downrange upon re-entry. Along with
Carpenter's name are a silver Mercury 7 emblem and gold
Astronaut Symbol.

The patch is approximately 6” high and 3.5” wide with a
hot-knife edge border. It is fully embroidered The
predominate colors are Navy Blue background trimmed in gold
as Commander Carpenter is a Naval Aviator.

This patch has
been produced in a finite edition of 300 patches. Of these
300, only 62
[in honor of the launch year of 1962] will be made available
in a numbered and autographed version along with a COA that
includes the matching patch number. The balance will be
available, numbered but unsigned, but will still be considered as part of
a limited production run. Cmdr. Carpenter will NOT sign any
blank patches at any public appearance. Once they are gone,
they are gone. Cmdr. Carpenter's initials are stitched
within the patch to verify authenticity of the 300 patches
that have been produced.

This patch was
personally commissioned by Cmdr.
Carpenter through artist Tim Gagnon who, along with Jorge Cartes,
designed this patch as a one time collectible to celebrate
the 50th anniversary of his spaceflight. At the present
time, Scott Carpenter and John Glenn are the only two
astronauts to approach this milestone.
Project Mercury was the first American manned spacecraft and
was only flown by six astronauts - the last American
astronauts to fly, alone, in space. This is truly a one of a
kind collectible offered exclusively by Cmdr. Carpenter and not a major
corporation that can crank out patch after patch for an
unlimited amount of production runs.

Cmdr. Carpenter
will be signing BOTH the patch and the COA, so you will get
TWO autographs for $175. He will be signing the patch on the
back along a special strip to hold his signature. If you want to order the unsigned
version, it will be available for $15. The unsigned patches
will also be numbered and issued with a different COA. The "hidden" initials will also add to the authenticity of this patch.
However, only numbers 1-62 will be autographed by Cmdr.
Carpenter and come with a COA also signed by Cmdr.
Carpenter.

These patches
are now ready for shipping. Cmdr. Carpenter has askedFarthestReaches.Com to distribute this patch for him,
since time constraints and logistics will not allow him to do this
himself. Orders are currently being taken at
FarthestReaches.Com for both
versions. This is the ONLY source to buy this
patch directly from Cmdr. Carpenter. Early orders get the
lowest numbers!
Order early to make sure you actually get one as inventory is already
low.

If you see this
patch on ebay out of Malaysia for a ridiculously low price,
don't buy it, it's a fake. Please report this person to ebay.
There is only one authorized dealer - FarthestReaches.Com,
which is US based. Don't get fooled into buying a cheap
imitation.

Scott's "thank you" to
Cece Bibby for designing
the Aurora 7 logo for his Mercury spacecraft